Duplex steam-engine



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' G. R. RAYV DUPLEX STEAM ENGINE. No. 570,054. Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

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DUPLEX STEAM ENGINE.

No. 570,054. Patented Oct. 27, 1896.

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G. R. RAY;

DUPLEX STEAM ENGINE.

Patented Oct. 27, 1896 Wifinesses.

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DUPLEX STEAM ENGINE.

Patented Oct. 2'7, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT GEEICE.

GEORGE E. BAY, OF MANISTEE, MICHIGAN.

DUPLEX STEAM-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,054, dated October27, 1896. Application filed March 2, 1896. Serial No. 581,579. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. RAY,a citizen of the United States,residing at Manistee, in the county of Manistee and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in DuplexSteam-Engines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable othersskilled in the art to which it belongs to make and use the same,

reference being had to the accompanying" drawings, which form a part ofthis specification.

The main object of my invention is to construct duplex steam enginesemploying crank-shafts and without the employment of eccentrics tooperate the main steam-valves, and thus simplifying the engine,cheapening its construction, and reducing the friction, the said mainsteam-valve of one engine being operated by the cross-head of the otherengine, and vice versa.

A further object of myinvention is to economize the use of steam byreducing the length of the steam-passages to a minimum, also enablingthe essential parts to be finished by boring instead of planingoperations.

A further object of my invention is to construct duplex steamreversing-engines eniploying crank-shafts and without the use ofeccentrics to operate the main steam-valves.

It consists of certain peculiarities of construction and arrangementhereinafter particularly described, and pointed out in the claim. I

In the accompanying drawings similar numerals refer to similar partsthroughout the several figures.

Figure 1 represents a plan View or outside elevation of a duplexsteam-engine embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a section of Fig. 1 on thebroken line A B C D and looking to the left, also showing an elevationof the left-hand engine with its valve-gear. Fig. 3 is a section of Fig.l on the broken line E F G H and looking to the right, also showing anelevation of the right-hand engine with its valve-gear. Fig. 4 is across-section of Figs. 1 and 5 on the broken line I J K L. Fig. 5 isavertical section of Fig. 4 on the broken line M N O P R S, showing thevalve-faces of steam-valves, the reversing-valve, and the steam andexhaust ports in section. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View of theleft-hand engine 011 the broken line T U V of Fig. 4, looking to theleft through the steam cylinder, main steamchest, and ports in theleft-hand end of said chest, also showing the main steam-valve insection and with the steam-piston in the cylinder. Fig. 7 is a verticalsectional view of the left-hand engine on the broken line IV U V of Fig.4, looking to the right through the steam-cylinder, main steam-chest,and ports in-the'right-hand end of the steam-chest, also showing thesteam-valve in section and with the steam-piston in the cylinder. Fig. 8is a cross-section of the steam-valve on the line 13 14 of Fig. 9. Fig.9 is an outside view of the face of one of the main steam-valves. Fig.is a cross-section of the main steamvalve on the line 15 16 of Fig. 9.Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional view of the right-hand engine on thebroken line X Q Y of Fig. 4, looking to the left through thesteam-cylinder, main steam-chest, and ports in the lefthand end of saidchest, also showing the steamvalve in section and with the steam-pistonin the cylinder. Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional View of the right-handengine on the broken line Y Q, Z of Fig. 4, looking to the right throughthe. steam cylinder, main steam-chest, and ports in the right-hand endof the main steam-chest, also showing the main steam-valve in sectionand with the steam-piston in the cylinder.

17 and 17 represent the steam-cylinders.

18 and 18 are the steam-pistons.

19 and 19 are the piston-rods.

20 and 20 are the cross-heads.

21 is the crank-shaft.

22 and 22 are the connecting-rods.

49 and 49' are the engine-cranks or crankdisks.

50 is a belt wheel or pulley and may be substituted by a gear-wheel orother satisfactory appliance to take the power from the crank: shaft 21.

23 and 23 are the main steam-chests, which are made of cylindrical forminside on their faced portions. 24 and 24 are the main ICO steam-valves,made to fit inside of said 'steam- A chests on their faced sides. 7 25is the reversing-valve chest, and 26 is the reversing-Valve.-

51 is the steam-inlet.

Passage 3? is connected with passage 37 by the passage 37 around theoutside of the reversing-chest 25.

Since the steam-cylinders 17 and 17 and main steam-chests 23 and 23 onboth sides of the engine are duplicates of each other, with theexception of the position of the main steamchests 23 ant 23 on theirrespective cylinders 17 and 17 and the reversed position of the ports,it will be found sufficient to describe in detail one of each only.

Each steam-cylinder 17 or 17 is formed or provided with steam ports orpassages 27 and 27, leading from the opposite ends of the steam cylinder17 or 7 to the adjacent steam chest or 23. The main steamvalve 21 isformed with two steam-cavities 29 and 29 in one end and one steam-cavity30 in the other end, said cavities being separated bybridges. The mainsteam-valves 24 and 2t of both engines are alike. 32 is theexhaust-opening connected with the reversing-valve chest 25 and openingout of the exhaust-passage 3st.

The reversing-valve 20, which is spoolshaped or cylindrical with anannular central exhaust cavity or passage 36, is fitted to and workswithin a cylindrical bore in the partitions or, bridges separating thepassages 37 37 38 3E). The passages 38 and 39 connect both mainsteam-chests 23 and 23 with the reversin g-valve chest 25. Thereversingvalv 20 is provided with a stem 26, which passes through astuifing-box 33 in the reversing-valve-chest head and is connected withsuitable mechanism (not shown) for shifting the same.

41 and 11 are cross-head pins, one end of each of which is elongatedwith journals formed on their outer ends. 42 and 41-2 are the main-valvestems, suitably journaled in the main steam-chest heads 43, 43, 4:3",and 43 in the usual manner. These main-valve stems -l-2 and 42 aresuitably flattened on that portion of their length that passes throughthe main steam-valves 21 and 24: for the purpose of operating the saidValves 24: and 21 in unison with their movements. Between the main-valvestems 42 and 4:2 and the main steamevalves 2i and 215 are long flatsteel springs 44:, sufficiently strong to securely hold the said valves24 and 21 on their seats, (these steel springs 41 are not shown, exceptin cross-section in Figs. 6, 7, 11, and 12, as they really form no partof the invention and are old and well known to the art;) or steam may beadmitted into the main steanrchests 23 and 23, back of the mainsteam-valves 24 and 24, by separate pipes from the main live-steam pipeor its equivalent for the purpose of holding or pressing the said valvessecurely against their seats. These main-valve stems are also journalednear their outer ends in the journals 45 and 45 of Fig. 1. 4G and 46 arerocker valvestem arms. One end of each is securely fastened to itsrespective valvestem 42 or 42' and the other end is provided with.suitably fitted crank-pins a7 a7.

18 and 48 are the main steam-valve connecting-rods, one end of each ofwhich is suitably journaled 011 the outer end of cross-head pin 41 orilflwhile the other is suitably journaled on the crank-pin a7 01 47. Therockervalve-stem arms 5L6 and 46' are bent in the form resembling aright angle for the object only of preventing the said rocker-arms 16and 46 from striking the casting through which the passages 38 and 39pass. It will be seen that the main steam-valve 24 of the left-handengine is driven or operated by the cross-head 20 of the right-handengine, and vice versa.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself in the application ofmy improved valve gear to duplex engines of the type shown, inasmuch asit may be employed to advantage in operating the ordinary slide, round,or balanced valves, though I do limit myself to duplex engines employinga crankshaft.

In the construction of the engine herein shown and described thesteam-cylinders, steam-valve chests, guides, and bearings for thecrank-shaft are all cast together. way a strong, simple, economical, anddurable construction is secured and the setting up and adjusting of theengine is simplified. The dispensing with the eccentrics andcccentric-straps also cheapens and simplifies the engine.

These engines are particularly designed for sawmill steam-feed or forhoisting purposes.

The operation of my engine is as follows: \Vhen the valve 26 is in theposition shown, steam being admitted through the inlet-passage 51,thence through the passage 37, thence through the passage 39 to each ofthe main steam-chests 23 and 23, thence through the cavity 30 of thesteam-valve 24, thence through the port 27 into the upper end of theleft-hand engine-cylinder, drives the steampiston 18 downward or awayfrom the crankshaft 21. At the same time the steam in the bottom end ofthe left-hand engine-cylinder 17 is being exhausted through the passage27, thence through the cavity 29 of the main steam-valve 24, thencethrough the passage 38, thence through the cavity 36 in thereversing-valve 26, thence through the exhaustpassage 34, thence throughthe final exhaustopening 32 into the atmosphere. "While the steam-piston18 in the lefthand engine is moving downward, its cross-head 20, whichcarries the cross-head pin i1, is communicating motion to theconnecting-rod 48,Which in turn is oscillating or rocking the valve-stemarm 46,which communicates its motion to the valve-stem 42 of theright-hand en gine,which in its turn oscillates or rocks the right-handsteam-valve 24: on its seat, and it admits and exhausts steam throughthesteam and exhaust ports of the right-hand engine similar In this IIOto the action that just took place in the lefthand engine and drives theright-hand steampiston downward or away from the crankshaft 21. Vhilethe piston of this right-hand engine is going downward its cross-head 20is operating the steam-valve 2st of the lefthand engine so it will steamthe left-hand engine-piston 18 upward again. After the left-hand enginehas completed its upward stroke its cross-head 20 will have driven thesteam-valve of the right-hand engine in the proper position to steam theright-hand piston and drive it upward again, and so on.

WVith the reversing-valve in the position shown the engine will run inthe direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 2 and 3. Now by loweringthe reversing-valve 26 in its chest until the exhaust-cavity 36 couplesthe passage 39 with the passage 34, then the passage 39 will be theexhaust-passage to both steamchests 23 and 23, and the passage 38 willbe the live-steam passage for the steam-chests 23 and 23 of bothengines, and the cavities in the steam valves 24 and 24:, thatpreviously were the exhaust-cavities, will be the live-steam cavities,and vice versa.

From the fact that the two cross-heads 20 and 20 are connected to thesame crank-shaft 21 through the medium of the connectingrods 22 and 22'and the crank-disks l9 and 49 they always bear a uniform relationship toeachother.

I am aware that prior to my invention it was not new to arrange twocylinders side by side and connect the piston-rod of one cylinder withthe valve of the other, so that the valve of one cylinder would beshifted by the movement of the piston-rod of the other not employing acrank-shaft, and I therefore do not claim such; but

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

In aduplex reversing-engine, the combination of the steam-cylinders, thesteam-pistons, the steam piston-rods, and means for connecting the saidsteam piston-rods to a crank-shaft common to both engines, thecylindrical main-valve chests with the portopenings arranged forrocker-valves, each having two ports communicating with opposite ends oftheir adjacent cylinders, the main rocker steam-valves having twocavityports in one end and one cavity-port in the other end of each,arranged to register with the ports in the main-valve chests, said portsin the main valves and main-valve chests acting as the admission orexhaust ports according to the relative position of the reversing-valvein the reversing-valve chest, with the intermediate reversing-valve casehaving an exhaust-chamber in the center between the outer ports, thesteam outer ports at each outside end of the reversing-valve chest, andthe intermediate ports between the outer ports and the exhaust-ports,extending out through the main steam-valve seats in the main steam-valvechests between the ports therein that communicate with the cylinders, areversing-valve controlling the communication between the said steam,intermediate, and exhaust ports that extend into the saidreversing-valve chest, all operating to admit and exhaust the steam toand from the respective engine -cylinders, and to run the crank-shaft ineither direction according to the relative position of the saidreversingvalve in its chest, all substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

GEORGE R. RAY.

Witnesses:

RICHARD L. FROST, ALBERT U. MAUZY, SAMUEL J. CHAPMAN.

